A brave English fisherman came to blows with a group of thugs when he stumbled across the men kicking a baby fox to death after shooting its mother.

The good samaritan, who has remained anonymous, was driving home from work near Suffolk in the early hours of Sunday when he saw the commotion and intervened.

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The countryman told The Mirror he was familiar with the practice of fox hunting, but said he was disgusted with the men for kicking the baby animal.

“If you have to kill, then do it humanely,” the fisherman said.

Becky the fox cub will be released into the wild in coming months. Photo: Facebook

“The fox was very distressed.

“You cannot look into the eyes of something like that and kick it to death.

“It’s been said I’m the hero of the hour, but I just do not see any need for that level of cruelty.”

He took the cub to a wildlife rescue centre with suspected internal injuries, but she is making a full recovery and will be released into the wild in four months.

Foxy Lodge Wildlife Rescue Centre owner John Garner said the man deserved a medal for saving the cub, now named “Becky”.

I’m not sure I would have stopped in the middle of the night,” Mr Garner told The Mirror.

“If that was someone’s puppy everyone would be going mad.

“The little cub is a tiny, beautiful little baby.”